How to Make Costumes for Day of the Dead

For millions of people, November is ushered in each year with Day of the Dead, commemorating the passing of friends and loved ones. Since Day of the Dead is viewed as a celebration of eternal life, the day takes on a carnival type of atmosphere in which revelers wear colorful costumes to honor the dead. Indulge yourself in this ancient custom by learning how to make your own costumes for Day of the Dead.

Things You'll Need

• Balloon
• Flour
• Florist wire
• Water
• Newspaper
• Paper glue
• Colored tissue paper

Instructions

Learn How to Make Costumes for Day of the Dead

1. Let the ancient Aztecs be your guide to color when you make costumes for Day of the Dead. The ancient Aztecs attributed certain colors to specific meanings. For instance, pink represents celebration, white stands for purity, black for the land of the dead, red for the sacrifice of blood and purple for mourning.

2. Make a wreath, garland or cross from flowers, which represent the fragility and briefness of life. The most traditional flower is the marigold. It was known to the Aztecs as "cempasuchil," meaning "flower of 400 lives."

3. Use florist wire to form the shape of a winged bat and glue layers of colored tissue paper together over it. At midnight on November 2nd, it is an old custom to 'ride' these bats (called "mariposas") to the cemetery to pay tribute to the dead buried there.

Make a Day of the Dead Mask from Paper Mache

1. Make a Day of the Dead calaca, or mask, out of paper mache by mixing one part flour with two parts water in a large bowl until smooth, adding a few tbsp. of salt as a preservative.

2. Blow up and tie a balloon of the right size for your Day of the Dead costume mask and place it on its side in a tray or large bowl. Then, tear newspaper into shreds, dip it into the paper mache mixture and spread each strip over the side of the balloon that faces up, smoothing each one in place. Repeat this process at least two more times, allowing each layer of newspaper to dry thoroughly before adding more.

3. Pop the balloon from the underside where paper mache was not applied. The balloon should peel easily from the inside of the mask. If it doesn't, however, you can resurface this side with a little glue and tissue paper.

4. Decorate your mask as you wish. However, it is customary to paint a costume mask to look like a skull. You may also add streamers of colored tissue paper to flow down the sides.

Tips & Warnings

• In Mexico, children often adorn themselves in elaborate costumes and parade in the streets to invoke individuals to give them "calaverita," a small gift of money.